Wednesday, March 26, 2008

THINK THIN THURSDAY - Portion Control

AND THE WINNER IS . . . Carol! Carol, Please email me at ljodamron@gmail.com with your full name and mailing addy and I'll get the books in the mail to you by the end of the week. If I don't hear from Carol by Thursday evening, I'll draw another winner. If any winner already has any of these books or isn't interested in any one or more in particular, feel free to decline those and I'll draw another winner for them.Thanks, everyone, for playing! I hope you'll stop back, I'll have a review for Toni Blake's LETTERS TO A SECRET LOVER sometime in the next week or so, and a bit of chatter about some other recent reads.

Portion control is very important when you're trying to eat healthy. It's incredible to see how big an actual serving size is, compared to the serving sizes we're used to. Here are some tips about controlling portions - and if you read to the end, there's a little contest that involves portion control of another variety!

* Hankering for a sweet treat after dinner? You can splurge on dessert -- you just have to limit your portion size. Instead of heaping scoops of ice cream into a large bowl, or worse yet, eating it directly out of the container, plop a few spoonfuls into a small teacup. The dainty serving dish will make a small amount of ice cream seem bigger. So curl that pinky and get in touch with your inner princess.* Did you know that the standard bagel is the equivalent of four or five slices of bread and that the average soft drink is three times the size it was 25 years ago? * It's no wonder that so many of us are overweight. We eat portions that are way too big, with way too many calories. To lose weight, you'll need to cut your portions down to size.* Eat on a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. A fuller plate tricks your brain into thinking that you're eating a lot.* Eat lots of high-water, low-calorie foods, like lettuce, raw veggies, broth-based soups, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. You'll feel satiated without breaking the calorie bank, says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Penn State University and author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan: Feel Full on Fewer Calories.* Do a monthly portion check-up. Drag out the scale and measuring cups to make sure your portions haven't crept up in size. Even a small difference like three ounces of turkey instead of two can add up to a few pounds over a year.* Make your own portion guide. Use common, recognizable items, like a tube of lipstick, your cell phone, or your hand-held electronic organizer. Match food portions to these common items. For example, an ounce of cheese is about the size of a tube of lipstick. This will help you eyeball foods and approximate their portion size.Some good advice, huh?Now for more good stuff! I'm doing a little portion control in my stack of "have read" books. I have six books to give away, sweet little romances, some fluffy, one suspenseful, a couple I bought because I liked the cover, and one is autographed (not to me personally) that I won as a door prize at a booksigning. I'm not putting the covers up, I'll leave it up to you to check them out further. Here's what's up for grabs:THE CEO'S SCANDALOUS AFFIAR by Roxanne St. ClairePRIDE & A PREGNANCY SECRET by Tessa RadleyTHE MERCENARY by Cherry AdairA ROYAL BRIDE AT THE SHEIKH'S COMMAND by Penny Jordan (this is the cover I especially liked!)BEDDED BY A PLAYBOY by Heidi RiceTHE EXECUTIVE'S SURPRISE BABY by Catherine Mann (autographed)

So, if you're interested, post a comment saying so. Send a friend who comments and indicates that you sent them and you'll be entered again. I'll draw a name from all posts on Monday evening, March 31. Good luck!Laurie

Barbara Jo - Congratulations on your loss! I'm so excited for you - Keep up the good work!

I thought I'd mention, since Crystal mentioned she's already read one of these, that if you win and have already read any of them, feel free to decline the one(s) you have read and I'll draw another winner for that one. No pressure to decline, but it's an option, ok?

I hope everyone is having a great day - it's gray and rainy in Ohio today, but with temps in the 40s, it's not too uncomfortable.

I've learned a lot of portion control thanks to my mom. Of course, I still tend to go a little overboard on certain of my favorites - like potatoes (mashed or baked), which I had for lunch today.

Of course, the last few months have definitely taught me portion control when it comes to reading. I've been so swamped reading the books on the list for my exam that I've not read anything else since January.

I'd love to win any of those books listed so I'll have something fun to read after I take my exam in 9 days.

Today I can finally post! Dial up sucks!!Anyway, love the diet tips ...most of us can use a bit of assistance! One thing that I do is put my fork down after every bite and chew slowly. It has really helped me eat less! I also do not watch TV or read or do anything to distract me so that I'm aware of what I'm eating. Finally , I put little note quotes around... especially on the fridge & cupboard doors...I have to stop and read them. It makes me think: do I want to exercise this off. You can use song titles: STOP:In The Name of Love, old weight watcher tips:"15 seconds on your lips,a lifetime on your hips." Anything that you can relate to: fat people pictures. People running, a beach scene, a bathing suit. Hope these work for you!!

As for the books - it is my intention to draw one winner who will get all of the books. However, the winner may decline any books she has already read (or doesn't want) and I'll draw another winner for those. Does that clear things up?

About Me

I've been married for 34 years (yes, Hub robbed the cradle), have two beautiful daughters, 23 and 28. We have a basset hound, Simon, and three cats, Sophie, Tony and Penny. I work full-time as a legal assistant. I enjoy reading, baking and walking. I write book reviews for the online review site, Romance Junkies.

PLEASE NOTE . . .

It is the responsibility of anyone who enters a contest on my blog to stop back and find out if they're a winner. I will not attempt to track you down. If I don't hear from a winner within the number of days specified when the winner is announced, I will draw a new name.